Kanya King CBE, the founder of the MOBO awards, has died aged 57.
The MOBO Organisation shared that King passed away on Wednesday (June 3) “after a courageous and characteristically determined battle” with colon cancer.
"The music world has lost one of its most fearless champions," said a statement from MOBO (you can read it in full below).
The pioneering entrepreneur and champion of Black British music, who founded the MOBOs in 1996, leaves an illustrious legacy of 30-plus years. In 2021, she was presented with The Strat at the Music Week Awards.
"We are devastated to share the news that our beloved Kanya – our mother, our sister, our heart – passed away peacefully on the 3rd June 2026, surrounded by her family and close friends after a brave and dignified battle with colon cancer," said a statement from her family. "She faced every moment of her illness as she faced every moment of her life: with courage, with faith, with humour, and with an absolute refusal to be diminished."
"She founded MOBO – music of Black origin and in doing she gave an entire generation of Black British artists the right to be seen, to be celebrated, and to be heard on their own terms," continued the statement.
"Kanya leaves behind thirty years of music of joy, of resistance, of proof – proof that one woman, with vision, nerve, and love, can move an entire culture.
"We are broken. We are grateful. We are so profoundly, endlessly proud to have been her family.
"Kanya King CBE. Gone too soon. Never, ever forgotten."
MOBO did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it, and demonstrated its commercial and creative power to a world that had too often chosen not to see it
MOBO Awards
The MOBO Awards this year marked the 30th anniversary of the event with a huge celebration at Manchester's Co-op Live.
"Thirty years ago, Kanya King remortgaged her home, alone, without institutional backing, without industry support, to build a stage that would transform British music forever," said a statement from the MOBO Awards.
"What Kanya created was never simply an awards ceremony. It was an act of cultural justice. MOBO did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it, and demonstrated its commercial and creative power to a world that had too often chosen not to see it."
Jonathan Shalit OBE, chair of the MOBO charity trust, has paid tribute to the late trailblazer.
“Kanya King CBE was not merely one of the most influential figures in the history of the global music industry; she was one of the most important cultural pioneers of our time and the visionary founder of one of Britain's most significant cultural institutions," he said.
KANYA KING TRIBUTE FROM MOBO AWARDS
It is with immeasurable sorrow that the MOBO Organisation announces the passing of its Founder and CEO, Kanya King CBE.
Kanya passed away peacefully on 3 June 2026 after a courageous and characteristically determined battle with colon cancer. She was surrounded by her family, close friends and love. The music world has lost one of its most fearless champions.
Thirty years ago, Kanya King remortgaged her home, alone, without institutional backing, without industry support, to build a stage that would transform British music forever.
She was a single mother from a Kilburn council estate who was told that Black music was too niche, that there was no market and that the industry was not interested. Instead of arguing, she built. Six weeks later, the first MOBO Awards was broadcast to the nation, and nothing was ever the same again.
What Kanya created was never simply an awards ceremony. It was an act of cultural justice. MOBO did not just celebrate Black music; it legitimised it, amplified it, and demonstrated its commercial and creative power to a world that had too often chosen not to see it.
Olivia Dean, Stormzy, Little Simz, RAYE, Craig David, Soul II Soul, Ms. Dynamite, So Solid Crew, Krept & Konan, Kano, Amy Winehouse, Sade, Central Cee and more. Every artist who has stood on the MOBO stage since 1996, every door that opened, every opportunity that followed, and every ceiling that was shattered carries the imprint of Kanya King’s vision.
She built a platform that has reached hundreds of millions of people around the world. She was awarded a CBE and received an Ivors Academy Honour in 2025, accepting it, characteristically, in the middle of what she described as “a difficult week health-wise”, yet still managing to inspire every person in the room. She never stopped. She never asked for permission. She never accepted that the word “no” was final.
When she stood on the MOBO stage in Newcastle in February 2025, just months after her diagnosis, she told the audience: “I never allowed someone to define my limits. Not in life. Not in business. And I’m certainly not going to have that happen now.”
That was Kanya King. Right to the very end.
The 2026 MOBO Awards, held during the Organisation’s landmark 30th anniversary year, will be dedicated entirely to her memory. Every artist, every moment and every note will carry her legacy.
The world was a profoundly better place with Kanya King in it. The MOBO family is heartbroken, but also endlessly grateful, proud and inspired by everything she gave to music, culture and the generations who will follow in her footsteps.
Rest in power, Kanya.
You built this.
All of it.
KANYA KING TRIBUTE FROM JONATHAN SHALIT OBE
“Kanya King CBE was not merely one of the most influential figures in the history of the global music industry; she was one of the most important cultural pioneers of our time and the visionary founder of one of Britain's most significant cultural institutions.
“When Kanya founded MOBO in 1996, she created far more than an awards ceremony. Through the MOBO Awards, the MOBO Organisation, Mobolise by MOBO, the MOBO Trust and, more recently, House of MOBO, she built a movement dedicated to recognising, celebrating, and supporting excellence in music and culture of Black origin. For almost three decades, MOBO has helped shape the cultural fabric of modern Britain, championing talent across music, television, film, business, technology, and the wider creative industries.
“Through her visionary leadership, entrepreneurial brilliance and unwavering determination, Kanya transformed the landscape of British and international music, creating opportunities for generations of artists whose voices might otherwise never have been heard. Her extraordinary championing of Black music, culture and talent reshaped the industry, challenged barriers, and left an indelible mark on society itself.
“Under Kanya's leadership, the MOBO Awards became one of the most important and respected events in the British music calendar, celebrating and elevating exceptional British and international talent across genres including Hip-Hop, Grime, R&B, Soul, Reggae, Jazz, Gospel, Electronic, Alternative and African music. The roll call of artists who have been recognised by MOBO reads like a history of modern music itself.
“Yet Kanya's vision always extended far beyond awards. Through initiatives such as MOBO UnSung, Mobolise, the MOBO Trust and House of MOBO, she created pathways for opportunity, championed diversity, nurtured emerging talent and empowered countless individuals from underrepresented communities to pursue careers and leadership roles across the creative industries and beyond.
“The legacy she created through MOBO transcends awards, accolades, and commercial success. It stands as a lasting testament to the power of inclusion, representation, opportunity, and cultural excellence. Her impact will continue to inspire future generations long after all of us are gone.
“Kanya's contribution to British culture, the music industry and society is immeasurable. Her legacy will endure for generations, and her influence will be felt long into the future.”
